MigrantoLatvian Diaspora
161K Latvians live abroad — the #139 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 49% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Russia | 38075 |
| Ireland | 20840 |
| Ukraine | 20086 |
| Norway | 11774 |
| Sweden | 11474 |
| Belarus | 10211 |
| Estonia | 6143 |
| Lithuania | 6029 |
| Denmark | 5985 |
| Canada | 4608 |
| Italy | 3700 |
| Israel | 3668 |
| Australia | 3247 |
| Iceland | 2902 |
| Finland | 2868 |
| Belgium | 2466 |
| Poland | 1286 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 859 |
| Kazakhstan | 777 |
| Luxembourg | 759 |
| Chile | 695 |
| Malta | 398 |
| Greece | 379 |
| Bulgaria | 300 |
| Portugal | 263 |
| Hungary | 229 |
| Slovakia | 216 |
| Georgia | 211 |
| Cyprus | 171 |
| Venezuela | 125 |
| Moldova | 96 |
| Slovenia | 73 |
| South Africa | 52 |
| Croatia | 22 |
| Guinea | 19 |
| Liechtenstein | 7 |
| Costa Rica | 1 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By destination region
Europe is the leading destination region at 91%
146.6K
4.6K
4.1K
3.2K
1.6K
821
71
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Latvia.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 53% to 24%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
5 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Norway, Denmark, Iceland — Norway rose from outside the top 20 to rank #4.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 12 residents of Latvia has emigrated — 161K out of 1.9M, representing 8.6% of the population.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 181952 |
| 1995 | 186182 |
| 2000 | 184708 |
| 2005 | 183414 |
| 2010 | 183282 |
| 2015 | 175523 |
| 2020 | 166868 |
| 2024 | 161014 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Russia | Ireland | Ukraine | Norway | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 95730 | 575 | 20185 | 15 | 1412 |
| 1995 | 100686 | 860 | 21108 | 130 | 1945 |
| 2000 | 101991 | 2393 | 22289 | 326 | 2268 |
| 2005 | 95839 | 11143 | 20366 | 691 | 2651 |
| 2010 | 86572 | 19183 | 19432 | 2731 | 4410 |
| 2015 | 66994 | 19130 | 19497 | 9541 | 6771 |
| 2020 | 50955 | 19924 | 19821 | 10589 | 8708 |
| 2024 | 38075 | 20840 | 20086 | 11774 | 11474 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Latvia as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Latvia
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Latvians move to?
Most Latvians have moved to Russia, Ireland and Ukraine — these three countries account for about 49% of all Latvians living abroad.
How many Latvians live abroad?
Around 161K Latvians live abroad, making it the #139-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Latvia lives abroad?
About 9% of the population of Latvia lives abroad — that's 161K out of a total population of 1.9M.
How has emigration from Latvia changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Latvia has fallen from 175.5K to 161K people, a decline of about 8%.
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